In the city of New Orleans, on January 7, 2022, the life of Demontre Smith, a 23-year-old African American male, was cut short by gun violence. A lifelong resident of the city where he was born on April 19, 1998, Smith was known for his sense of humor and his love for drawing and dancing. He was a father to a son, Demontre Jr., and a daughter, Demi, and was engaged to be married.
Remembered as a loving father, son, and brother, his sudden death left a significant void in the lives of his family and friends.
Years prior to his own death, Demontre Smith had a brief intersection with the law as a person of interest in a separate homicide case. In March 2019, the New Orleans Police Department sought to question him in connection with the fatal shooting of Jerry Harris. At the time, authorities made it clear that Smith was not considered a suspect in Harris's murder but was someone they believed might have information relevant to the investigation. Smith was located and questioned, and a DNA sample was obtained before he was released. The case involving Jerry Harris remained under investigation.
The circumstances leading to Demontre Smith's own death remain shrouded in mystery. Despite the passage of time, the New Orleans Police Department's investigation has yet to yield any arrests or the public identification of any suspects responsible for his killing. His case is one of many that continue to trouble the city, a personal tragedy for his loved ones and a statistic in the ongoing narrative of violent crime. The investigation into his unsolved murder remains active, with law enforcement still seeking information from the public that might lead to a breakthrough and provide answers to his grieving family.
